Periodic switch



PERIODIC SWITCH Filed Oct. 12, 1936 INVENTOR. WALTER MILLSAP. BY

ATT EY.

Patented July 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to periodic switches.

The general object of the invention is to provide an electricallyoperated periodic switch which is particularly adapted to operate a timekeeping mechanism.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a labor time register embodying the featuresof my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the actuating member;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the actuating member;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing by reference character I have indicated oneembodiment of my improved time device generally at [0. As shown thedevice I is mounted in a cabinet |2 having a front panel |3 on which Iarrange a plurality of man hour labor totalizers l4, a plurality of jobhour indicators IS, a man hour totalizer l6, and a plurality of jobselector devices Also mounted on the front panel I provide an employeeslock device l8 for controlling each of the man hour indicators and amaster lock device I9 for controlling the entire unit. Furthermore thedevice l0 includes a suitable clock mechanism of any desired type asindicated at 20.

Mounted on the wall portion 2| of the clock 20 I provide a pair ofspaced lugs 22 which have an arm member 23 pivotally secured thereto asat 24. The free end of the arm member 23 has an aperture 25 therein (seeFig. 4). One fast rotating shaft 26 of the clock mechanism 20 extendsthrough the wall 2| and is secured to a member 21 as by a pin 28. Thismember 2'! is made of suitable electrical insulating material. Rotatablymounted in the upper portion of the member 21 I provide a shaft 3 whichpasses through the aperture 25 of the arm member 23. A suitableelectrical insulating means 3| is provided between the ends of theshafts 26 and 30.

Surrounding the shaft 30 and spaced from the wall 2| I provide a contactplate 32 which is made of a suitable electrical insulating material andis supported by legs 33. Mounted on the shaft 30 adjacent the member 21I provide a disk 34 which is secured to the shaft as by a pin 35 andbetween the plate 32 and the disk 34 I provide a suitable electricalinsulating sleeve 36 around the shaft 30. The plate 32 has a pluralityof electrical contact members 31 thereon which are shown as four innumber although the number may be varied to suit the requirements.

Suitably secured to the shaft 30 I provide a wiper arm or controller 38which is adapted to Visit and engage the contacts 31. Spaced from thecontact plate 32 I provide a boss 39 which is supported by legs 40 shownas integral with the contact plate 32. Positioned in a suitable recessin the boss 39 I provide a metal sleeve 4| which has a recess 42 thereinin which a carbon member 43 is positioned.

Positioned between the inner end of the carbon member 43 and the bottomof the recess 42 I provide a coil spring 44 for resiliently urging thecarbon member 43 into engagement with the end of the shaft 30. Thesleeve 4| is provided with a contact screw 45 for securing thereto anelectrical wire.

The member 2! has an arm 46 projecting therefrom and terminating beyondthe periphery of the disk 34 where it has a dog member 41 pivotallysecured thereto as at 48. A flat spring member 49 has one end secured tothe arm 46 and the opposite end engages the dog 41 and resiliently urgesit into engagement with the periphery of the disk 34 (see Fig. 4).

In its periphery the disk 34 is notched as at 50. Adjacent the shaft 30the arm 23 has a depending outwardly directed lip thereon (see Fig. 5)the outer end 52 of which extends to the periphery of the disk 34.Intermediate the pivot 24 and the aperture 25 the arm member 23 has anaperture 53 therein through which a shaft 54 of the clock mechanism 2projects. This shaft 54 is so geared to the clock mechanism it makes onecomplete revolution periodically for instance say every six minutes orin other words every tenth of an hour. Secured to the shaft above thearm member 23 I provide a cam disk 55 the under face of which has anotch 56 therein. Mounted on the arm 23 I pro Vide an upstanding fingerportion 51 which is below the cam disk 55. Intermediate the shaft 30 andthe shaft 54 and between the arm member 23 and the wall 2| I provide acoil spring member 58 which resiliently urges the arm member 23 upwardlyand the finger portion 5'! into engagement with the cam disk 55.

When the clock 20 is operated and the finger portion 51 engages theunder side of the cam disk 55 it retains the arm 23 in an inwardposition which in turn retains the lip 5| in a position adjacent thedisk 34. When the notch 56 of the cam disk 55 is opposite to the fingerportion 51 the latter is moved upwardly by the spring 58 into the notch56, whereupon the lip 5| is raised above the dog member 4'! whereuponwhen the dog matches the notch 59 in the disk 34 it enters the notch 55and rotates the disk M thereby rotating the shaft 30.

The notch 56 is so disposed that the arm is moved to a lowered positionagain before the shaft has made one complete revolution whereupon as thedog M approaches the end of one complete revolution the lip 58 moves itout engagement with the notch in the disk 34.

As the shaft 39 is rotated the Wiper arm 33 thereon makes one completeswing around the contact plate 32 engaging each of the contact members3'! in order. From the foregoing it will be apparent that the wiper armengages the contacts 41 once every six minutes, that is every tenth ofan hour.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

In an actuating device for a labor time registering system, a clockmovement including a fast moving shaft and a slow moving shaft, a fixed,

contact disk having a plurality of spaced contacts thereon, a shaftaxially aligned with said fast moving shaft and supported by said disk,a single wiper arm adapted to engage said contacts in order, said wiperarm having exposed contact means, said exposed contact together with thewiper arm and disk contacts being arranged to form a portion of anelectrical circuit, a second disk, means to secure said second disk onsaid wiper arm shaft, said second disk having a notch in its periphery,said fast moving shaft having a laterally projecting arm thereon, a dogpivotally supported on said arm, resilient means normally urging saiddog into engagement with said notched periphery, means to insulate saidWiper arm shaft from said fast moving shaft, a clutch arm having one endpivotally supported and remote from said shafts and having its other enddisposed adjacent to said second disk, said other end including aportion adapted to restrain said dog from engagement with said notch,means normally urging said clutch arm away from said second disk, a camon said clutch arm, a cam disk on said slow moving shaft and adapted toengage said cam and maintain said clutch arm adjacent said second disk,said cam disk being notched in one portion to receive said cam wherebysaid clutch arm is allowed to momentarily move away from said seconddisk during each revolution of said slow moving shaft.

WALTER MILLSAP.

